Newcomer Francesca Sanna recognised

Francesca Sanna has won the 2017 Klaus Flugge Prize for the most exciting and promising newcomer to children's picture book illustration, for her book The Journey (Flying Eye Books).

The Journey tells the story of a mother and her two children fleeing war at home to find a new life in another country. Sanna was inspired to create the book after meeting two young girls in a refugee centre in Italy. She interviewed many more refugees after that, incorporating their stories into her book. "The shortlist featured five skilful and talented illustrators but The Journey is the most inventive and original of all the entries", said judge Axel Scheffler. "The fear the family experiences is strongly expressed in the graphic language of the book which is beautifully designed. The stylish drawings are varied and yet consistent." Chair of the judges, Julia Eccleshare, added, "Francesca's subject in The Journey is war and its devastating effect on families caught up in it. Through words and pictures working perfectly together she tells her story in a way that will move all readers whatever their age. Over his long career, Klaus Flugge has always been ready to publish ground-breaking books, and many of those, though deemed challenging on publication - Not Now Bernard by David McKee for example - are today recognised as classics. It is fitting that the prize in his name is this year going to Francesca for The Journey and we are all excited to see what she does next." The Klaus Flugge Prize was founded to honour publisher Klaus Flugge, an influential figure in picture books. Flugge set up Andersen Press in 1976 and discovered and nurtured many of today's most distinguished illustrators including Chris Riddell, Tony Ross, and David McKee.